1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, and to the particular field of bibs.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Feeding an infant can be a messy job. As any person who has undertaken this task can attest, the infant sometimes deposits more food on themselves than in their mouth. In some instances, the infant must actually be bathed in order to remove the food. This may is also the case when feeding handicapped, elderly, and mentally-challenged persons
For this reason, the wearing apparel art contains many inventions related to bibs which will protect the front of the wearer from food that is dropped. These bibs work well to protect a part of the wearer and, perhaps, some of the wearer""s clothing.
However, many infants or mentally-challenged persons have a habit of rubbing food into their hair and around their faces. A bib that protects the front of their clothing will not protect the wearer""s head. Thus, even though the wearer has worn a bib, a caretaker finds herself bathing the wearer anyway.
Therefore, there is a need for a bib-like cover which completely protects a wearer. In particular, there is a need for an infant bib which covers the infant""s head.
While the wearing apparel art does contain examples of bibs that can protect the wearer""s hair, these bibs have several shortcomings that prevent their full acceptance.
For example, the head portion of such bibs may not fit all infants. That is, if one infant is larger than another, one of the infants may not be fully protected. Still further, the bib may not be comfortable for the wearer, who may then object to wearing the bib. If a bib fits an infant at one time, the infant is likely to outgrow the bib. This may force a caretaker to purchase a bib that is too large or to purchase additional bibs as the infant grows. As above discussed, if the bib does not properly fit the wearer, it may not adequately protect the wearer.
Therefore, there is a need for an bib which is comfortable for the wearer. There is yet a further need for a bib which can account for size of the wearer.
Many people like to take their infants out to eat. Even in such situations, many infants require a bib. Many people like to have the infant well dressed when dining out. However, many bibs are designed for protection and not for style. In such instances, the caretaker must make a decision about whether to use a bib that is functional but is not aesthetically pleasing, or to purchase a separate bib that can be aesthetically pleasing, but which may not fully protect the infant.
Therefore, there is a need for an infant bib which has an aesthetically pleasing appearance yet will fully protect the infant.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a bib-like cover which completely protects a wearer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which covers the wearer""s head.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which is comfortable for the wearer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an bib which can account for size of the wearer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bib which has an aestheically pleasing appearance, yet still fully protects the wearer.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a bib-like cover which comprises a body portion which includes a shoulder portion which extends over a wearer""s shoulders when worn, a back portion which is located adjacent to the wearer""s back when worn, and a front portion which is located adjacent to a wearer""s chest when worn; a head portion which extends over a wearer""s head when worn and which includes an expansion joint; a collar portion which completely surrounds a wearer""s neck when worn and which includes an inferior rim fixed to the body portion and a superior rim fixed to the head portion, the collar portion being in overlapping relationship with the head portion; an inferior rim on the back portion of the body portion; an inferior rim on the front portion of the body portion, the inferior rim on the back portion of the body portion being superior to the inferior rim on the front portion of the body portion with respect to the wearer when the body portion is worn; the body portion and the head portion and the collar portion all being one piece and unitary with each other; and the neck portion being formed of stretchable material.
The specific formation of the bib-like cover allows the cover to completely surround the wearer""s head and face during feeding yet will be comfortable, even if used on wearer""s of different sizes and will still remain aesthetically pleasing. The expandable nature of the bib will permit the bib to be used even if an infant grows. The bib is formed of easily washable materials and thus is easy to care for and clean.